Introduction/Overview

Middle school keyboarding is a 6th grade, Career and Technology Education (CTE) course.  It is the students’ first business class.  It is an 18 week semester course with goals focusing on student improvement in technique, accuracy, and speed.  In my class, I focus heavily on projects which encompass a wide variety of authentic problems (e. g. small business owner, advertisement writer, magazine designer, graphics designer) for the students to complete.  I offer a total of 12 projects during the course (business cards, resume, advertisements, business letters, and career research, among others).  This lesson plan is a subset of a unit about “Careers.”  It is tentatively designed to be 4-5 classes long with this lesson being 2 blocks. 

Macro demographics highlights of the school and county include: 

Farmwell Station Middle school is a Loudoun County Public School of roughly 1300 students, include 478 6th graders.  The demographic data is broken out in the following charts.

For 2012, additional Farmwell student profiles can be found  here.

Parental educational levels are also extremely diverse and wide ranging.  From census bureau data summary, Farmwell parents have a broad range of backgrounds with a predominance (over 59%) having a Bachelors or Graduate degree.  The national average is 10% lower for these degrees.  For additional census information can be found here.

Other data areas of note on the population of Loudoun County, as a whole, include:

1) It is the fastest growing county in the country over  the past 10 years;  2) It has consistently been one of the most affluent counties in the United States, earning the “richest county in the United States” several years running with an average household income of $119,000 (2012); 3) the Median price for homes is $525K, one of the highest in Virginia and in the top 10 for the country.

Micro Demographics—for purposes of this lesson practicum, each will stratify the specific or micro breakdown of each class for analysis, categories of race, general education, special education and English as a Second Language or (ESL) data points: 

As the following graphics illustrate, both classes are racially diverse and cover the spectrum.  These two classes are high performers. Out of my 7 blocks, they have the highest and second highest class averages with their keyboarding grades of 92% and 91% for classes 1 and 2, respectively.

Lesson Goals

From a broad perspective, the lesson goals for the lesson under study are to help students think about what future careers they might be interested in.  We will have profiled several careers in class including a lesson on career clusters (13 broad categories) as well as  worked on a resume and why they are important tools in helping find work.  The instructional goals include: 1) student aptitude/interests; 2) skills; 3) research careers; 4) present findings; 5) “best fit” career.  I want the students to learn:  1) Self discovery of personal traits/skills; 2) research; 3) compare and contrast; 4) math and money; 5) presentation 6) career interests; 7) DEAPR and C-RAP.   For a detailed description of the lesson plan that this practicum represents, click here: Lesson Plan.  For details of the rubric used to grade this plan, click here: Rubric.

In addition, my overt goals in teaching this lesson plan are as follows: 1) I hope to have students develop an understanding for careers, career fit, research and the thought process behind it; 2) I want to convey that picking a career involves learning your interest, skills, salary levels, and educational experience.  All combine into the process of discovering a career that would be a “best fit” for the learners in this age group; 3), I also want them to know that as they grow, their interest of choice may change as well—and that is OK.  Most 6th graders’ interests, as they mature, change and evolve as well.  They gain a greater understanding of what they enjoy, what they are good at, as well as various other dynamics that reflect student growth and change. That is perfectly fine.

From the students’ perspective, they will hopefully be learning  several covert or hidden goals such as:  learning note taking skills, interest discovery, Internet searching/researching, test, comparison/contrast, presentation skills (speaking, design concepts, DEAPR and CRAP).  The students have been exposed to ACTS, SSCC, DEAPR, CRAP concepts throughout the quarter and their importance in the class from previous lessons and from the review process for this project.  I am checking and reinforcing students’ understanding of these concepts.  I will also be learning to provide timely and accurate feedback to students.  I hope to manage class processes forward towards the end product—the presentation, which captures the rubric information.   I am checking and reinforcing my understanding of SSCC, ACTS, CRAP and DEAPR.   I am also learning to facilitate discussions on each of the student’s presentations and their motivations for their career selection as well as for completeness.

Instructional goals for students include listening, following directions and completing the various sections of the project description.  For my learning, ACTS, SSCC, CRAP and DEAPR are all being integrated in this particular project.   I will be curious to see if I can incorporate and teach these concepts but this is a culminating project and the concepts have each been covered individually. The expected outcomes are for the students to produce a 5 page PowerPoint supported by data on careers.   The challenges are many—not all students are used to taking skills inventories online or know what they want to do.  Many are not used to taking notes electronically (copy and paste, writing notations as they go).  In the past, it has been difficult to keep students on track to complete the tasks sequentially.  Many want to produce the end product first.  Some students get frustrated that the tests they do online do not produce any “recommended cluster area” andso they think that they are not suited for ANY career (i. e. the test does not produce any recommendations for careers).  I guide them to the other sites that are more general and will yield some results to help the students.

I will know student learning from several areas, per the practicum set up.  Quantitative and qualitative parameters will be used.  For this project, the rubric will be used to assess their PowerPoint presentation (see previous link).  From an instructional point of view, I will be scaffolding additional content, background information, presentations from classes, and previous project experience to determine summative and formative assessments.  From a tools perspective, I will be using verbal feedback, quizzes, qualitative (feedback and questioning for understanding, classroom discussion, journal entry—career, what interests you), and quantitative.  I will also be keeping a teacher journal to capture notes to indicate my impact on student learning.  Lastly, I will ask them if they found this project helpful in learning what they are good at and if this career is something that interested them.

Quantitative (numeric) Evidence of Student Learning

Class highlights from the data tables above demonstrate many examples of learning.  First, each class got progressively got higher marks as each sequential check point was recorded.

Second, the average class grade for both was 97%, which is a solid/high A on the LCPS grading scale.  One would expect to see more of a bell curve in the data and not so skewed to the higher end A. 

Third, the “Mean % Change range (a reflection of percentage change between high and low data points)” of 10.2 % and 8.9% improvement for classes 1 and 2, respectively.   This can be an indicator from a quantitative standpoint. However, there is no basis to judge if these numbers are significant.  It does show that there were improvements in the scores as the classes moved forward with the project phases.  As such, this indicates a trend towards understanding and thus learning improvement. 

Fourth, the average class grade increased for each level with both classes going from B-/B, to B+/A-, and then, in the final presentation, yielding an extremely high A/A+ overall marks on the final project.  Since this data point is two grades above average and also above the average class grades, it would suggest learning improvement

Fifth, per the colored data, again for both classes, those students that got 8’s and higher on their check points had a higher probability of getting an A+.  Those who got lower scores, 7’s and lower, tended to have lower grades on the project.

In summary, the data from both classes suggest that the most significant demonstration of learning from this particular practicum.  Here, the colored data charts of each class demonstrates that there is a positive correlation/relationship  between higher check point grades that students achieved and higher academic performance on the project as a whole. 

A positive relationship is here: the higher the initial check points, the higher the overall project grade.  The lower the check points, the lower the overall project grade.  For additional data sorting, please go here: Spreadsheet.

The last point includes the Class Exit Survey: Was this beneficial? Class 1: 88%; Class 2: 91% Did you learn something about a future career?: Class 1: 83%;  Class 2: 96%. Most (80%) enjoyed the research and personality tests and discovered something knew about themselves.

Qualitative Evidence of Student Learning

The teacher journal entries/notes yielded a wealth of information that show learning.  For example, through peer to peer or student to instructor conversation, there would be a nod or phrase of “ahh, now I get it” or “that makes more sense” as the project went on.  Also, the students tended to ask progressively more advanced/intelligent questions as well.  Along this “question thread,” there were fewer questions for both the instructor and student project managers.  Learning was reflected in the quality of the projects in that they matched the rubric requirements.  Hence,  students were learning to follow the directions.  In my class, I have students call me over to do a cursory review.  Here, there were a lower number of student “redo’s.” Upon reviewing work, could be quantitative but no data points were collected.  It was noted that students seemed to meet the rubric requirements in fewer iterations/review sessions to get the project to conform to Rubric.  Some were as high as three, but others had it right the first time. 

Samples of Student Work

I tried to select a representative sample of student work across the demographic.  From my learning, I can say that a “standard” rubric allows students to be flexible and produce a wide variety of work with varying degrees of success on the CRAP and DEAPR concepts.  My learning process here is notable.  I should be more specific and break this project up into components better.  I totally did not model, coach and fade more.  I did not complete an example with the class nor in the project description. I will note these more in the changes

I have included 3 student samples for review and comment.  First, the Thetga example is notable because of the common theme amongst the slides that exemplify the design concepts.  It is visually appealing, and the information content is very well done.  The Thalbaum example is just the opposite—no theme across the slides but it does adhere to the concept on a slide by slide basis and still meets the criteria.  The data collected is good but it, in my opinion, is not as visually appealing.  The last one I selected for review is the special education student.   Voutrebeck is one to note in that she needed more time and would have benefited from a “subset” approach of 1-2 slides with a preselected group of traits.  Copying, pasting and overall design concepts were difficult for this student.  That said, she was learning and making progress.  Each time she was checked on, more information and data were in the slides/notes section of the project.  Her progress was slow but still on the mark.

What Worked

Notes from the teacher journal again offered plenty of discussion points.  First, the structure and content of the lesson plan and project description did help guide many students.  Off loading saved a great deal of time.  It freed me up to help with other difficulties that students were having.  It made the classroom management efforts easier.  The career clusters traits were helpful in offering guidance and starting off points for students not sure of test results or needed help getting a general idea of what they might be good at.  Additionally, the presentation that the Guidance Councilors did helped in scaffolding of traits, importance of careers and the career cluster categories, and reinforced student understanding.  Also, it offloads more career information from another source (i. e. not just one teacher but another individual) offered reinforcement of the concepts to the student.  The student project managers—helpers--did a great job in assisting others.  Peer to peer assistance really is a great way for students to learn.  This offloading also makes classroom management smoother and more rapid.  Just a final point on the student helpers, when I would explain a process to a student and check for understanding, they would say “yes, I get it.”  As I would leave and they would ask a neighbor the same question they asked me, the peer would repeat the same solution but the student would process better with these directions and perform the task flawlessly.

What Would I Change/Modify

Highlights from the teacher journal from both classes yield some interesting information.  I alluded to it earlier that there was no “exit strategy” for those that are ESL or Sped.  In the future, I will have a reduce work/subset rubric which will simplify the project description and product outcomes.  In addition, the amount of time was grossly under estimated.  This project could easily take 3-4 class blocks if I teach this as a culminating classroom activity.  I am very disappointed in myself that my standard method of teaching “model, coach, fade” was not more fully utilized.  This, I am sure, caused more confusion and frustration to students.  I would also increase scaffolding concepts with more “mini projects” that will lead up to a larger, more comprehensive one that will be the final deliverable.  This should help build student confidence and not have them feel overwhelmed.  While the test sites are a good resource, I would cut down on the number of test sites.  I would try to find sites that are more age appropriate with traits or get a list for the students with some simplified traits.  This project is designed to be a second quarter (more experience under their belts, better act directions, copy/cut/paste/searching).  It will be going back to that place in the pacing guide.

It should be noted that this is the first time that I have executed a lesson plan with the whole class.  I have done other activities as a class but the pacing is normally done by individual student paced progress and a per student basis (i. e. every 4 lessons students do a project).  This keeps the number of students in class doing projects to 5-7 Tops.  With this approach, it is much easier for me to manage, ease frustration for students for wait time, and relieve some classroom management difficulties.  I prefer more detailed one on one more times.  With 18 and 23 students doing this, it was difficult.  Two or three student managers were also overwhelmed at times.

Lessons for Your Practice

From the beginning of the ITS program, we have been taught to use tools/techniques that provide the most affordance—which I have used time and time again.  Authentic Problems from AeCTS being the most beneficial, I have redone all of my 12 projects to reflect this.  I have developed a keyboarding review “game” to mimic play and video games.  Other areas have been of huge value added to me as a designer, and my students have reaped so many rewards.

As far as reflecting on this experience, I must say this practicum process left me with very mixed emotions and feelings.  I am reminded of a very famous Charles Dickens quote from A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times.  It was the worst of times.”  For this practicum, it was more bad than good with some ugly thrown in to boot.  I would also point out that you get out of it what you put into it so I take a huge part of the blame.  It is all a process of improvement and that is a very big “learn” on my part.  So here we go, the best and the worst.

“The best of times..”

First and foremost, this reconfirmed my decision to be a teacher.  I enjoy teaching.  With this practicum process, I am reminded of one of my favorite teacher quotes from Socrates: “I cannot teach anybody any thing, I can only make them think.”  In implementing a new lesson/project, it was a great experience, albeit at times chaotic, to have student interaction, questions—good and bad, the exchange of ideas and information, the look of joy, puzzlement and wonder—all good.  I still have an incredibly long way to go but a solid foundation that will get better with ITS guidance, affordances (a FACTS component), and delivery refinement.  Second, I am a huge process improvement fanatic on several levels.   After 16 years in sales, the last 3 being involved with change and configuration management, it is all about the process.  See something that works, use it. Lesson refinement, goals, and delivery will be changed for this lesson plan in the future.   This reinforces constant evaluation and my notion that nothing should be wasted in class.  Everything should have a purpose which I have tried to model.  The teaching journal is a great tool.  In the past, I have taken mental notes.  Here, I can take summary notes, feelings, and type them in for later review.  I really enjoy the process improvement that the journal affords.  Go back and do more of what worked, less of what did not or figure out how to make it work better.  Lastly, this experience reinforced ITS knowledge. In particular, Vygotsky and Pink were the biggest “value adds” to my tool bag and were employed here.  First, Vygotsky’s “Model, Coach, Fade” is a wondrous concept that I have used for years—albeit inconsistently as was noted in the practicum improvements.  When I do it, the students really work with greater understanding   For my second practicum, I am going to have one class do the project from the description with a generic overview and the other class I will “model, coach, fade” and see which class learns better  Second, Pinks’ A Whole New Mind concept of MOPEDS will be actively brought into and further cultivated in my classroom activities, lesson plans, and projects.

“The worst of times…”

I am a numbers person—trends, probabilities, and percentages.  I love numbers from a business perspective.  I understand their value in analysis but feel that it was overkill at this level.  Probably my own “undoing” in what I was trying to prove.  I would probably not do this for every project (I have 12) in order to objectively prove that learning takes place.  As such, the affordances of this part were low to me as a designer and will probably not make its way into my tool bag. Second, I do not enjoy numbers to validate that learning takes place at this level.  Get enough through anecdotal evidence—a nod, a verbal phrase, and then to see them react correctly on the computer is enough in some cases.  Quantitative--while valid to prove some learning--seems to be overkill in this practicum, for me.  Sometimes it is not about the numbers but about students enjoying the activity/project/learning experience.  I can see that I probably brought this on myself with what I saw was a trend and how to capture and illustrate it.  Third, teaching in larger groups is a challenge for me, one I will master.  I thought I had the knowledge base and experience to work in any environment—large or small.  That said, individual or small group instruction, from my teaching style and perspective, are preferred.  For me, it provides better focus and concentration for teacher and learner.  Individual attention for longer periods of engagement suites the students’ needs more and shows that the teacher is caring, understanding, and can be effective at adding understanding.

More general criticisms are from a “value add” perspective to my teaching style and content, not very high with this practicum process.  I also accept responsibility in trying to offload too much on the project description - too much reliance on this proved to be more confusing for some.  I did not perform my “model, coach, fade” well at all.  In addition, practicum by definition means:  “A school or college course, especially one in a specialized field of study that is designed to give students supervised practical application of previously studied theory.”  It is impractical to expect direct supervision in this type of course, but this is what drives me.  Feedback--immediate and constructive—both from business and education perspective are just the best.  I thrive on that!.  In a perfect world--which does require a great deal of work, I would have like to have scheduled times to observe - 30 minutes or so of each cohort.  I realize this is unrealistic given the timeframe, schedules, and constraints of the people involved.  It feels, to me, like it is not enough information to refine or improve the process adequately--for myself or my students--to gain benefit.  I take blame in that I should be proactive in sharing notes, feelings, and ideas on a more “real time basis.”  With this process, it was a self evaluation—while beneficial, I believe that more can be gained from sage experts providing feedback after seeing a cohort “in action.”

That said, this exercise process was a mix of good and bad for my designer tool bag of knowledge.  I have another one to put together and will change the process and improve.  Again, these are my feelings and reflections which I have always written from the heart.  In life, you learn a lot of what to do and a great deal more of what NOT to do, but that is learning and it moves the process forward.